The Gathering Storm
by Willow21
Summary: Tensions mount as the gap between Leo and Jed grows. Third in the Stone By Stone series, but can be read alone.
1. Default Chapter

**Title:** The Gathering Storm  
**Author:** Willow  
**Synopsis:** Tensiosn mount as the rift between Jed and Leo grows.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Spoilers:** Anything up to season 5, Memorial Day, but set in an a/u.  
**Notes:** Third in the Stone By Stone series. Starts 1 weeks after _In Need Of Assistance ._  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

**SUNDAY MORNING**

CJ walked out of her kitchen with a glass of orange juice in one hand and the telephone in the other. She sat down on her couch and dialed Josh's number. "Good morning, Joshua," she said. "What you doing at the moment?"

"At 8.30 on a Sunday morning," Josh replied. "I'm lazing around my apartment, what would you think I'm doing?"

"Coming jogging," CJ suggested.

"No."

CJ had known he would say that, so she ignored him. "It's a beautiful morning, Josh."

"It's going to rain."

"Get your running shoes on. I'll be round in 30 minutes."

Thirty five minutes later Josh opened his front door to CJ. "You're insane," he said as he walked back into the apartment. "I have things to do you know."

"The quicker we go, the quicker we'll get back," CJ told him. "Come on."

"Insane," Josh muttered and reluctantly followed CJ out of the apartment. "How the hell did this Sunday morning torture start anyway?" he asked.

"It was your idea," CJ replied.

"I really think that's unlikely."

"You said the doctor told you to exercise, so you wanted to start jogging."

Josh stopped and stared at CJ. "That's how this started? That was over 3 years ago, CJ. I'm fit now, I don't need to exercise"

"I'm sure there's logic in there somewhere, Josh," CJ smiled. "Stop moaning, we're going running."

Josh dutifully fell into pace beside CJ and they ran in almost silence, almost apart from Josh's occasional sighs, for twenty minutes.

"It's going to rain," Josh said, looking up at a sky that was turning a dark shade of purple.

"Do you think you'll melt?" CJ asked as a flash of lightening filled the sky.

"No, but we might get barbecued."

"Wimp. We'll shelter."

"Under trees?" Josh asked doubtfully, "Did you miss the lesson about lightening and trees when you were at school?"

"Well it seems you have two choices. You can stand in the open or take your chances under the trees," CJ called as she ran for shelter.

"Great options," Josh muttered and followed CJ to the trees. "So this was a fun way to spend a Sunday morning."

"What else would you be doing?"

"I have plenty of things I could be doing," Josh protested.

"For instance?" CJ asked. "Wow that was close. The storm must be overhead," she commented on an extremely loud crack of thunder and a flash of lightening.

Josh didn't reply. All he could hear at that moment was the noise of the thunder, the gunshots. He leaned back against a tree and folded his arms across his chest as he tried to push down the rising panic.

CJ knew she was rambling, but she'd seen the panic in Josh's eyes when the thunder and lightening cracked above them. She hadn't realized loud noises still had any effect on him. She was fairly certain that asking if he was alright and drawing attention to his panic wouldn't help, so she'd started talking about why the storm must be directly over them because the thunder and lightening had happened simultaneously.

Slowly Josh became aware of CJ talking, something about the speed of light, and his breathing started to return to normal as the panic ebbed away. "You've been spending too much time with the president," he gamely teased.

CJ followed his lead and grinned, "I'm a wealth of useless information."

Josh wasn't fooled for one minute, he knew she'd seen the effect the thunder had had on him. "Let's go back," he said.

* * *

"You want some food?" CJ asked when they arrived at her apartment.

"You're cooking?"

"No. I was thinking you could cook while I shower. There's bacon and eggs in the fridge."

Josh started to protest that he was the guest, but he'd eaten CJ's cooking before. "Go and shower," he told her.

Once they'd both showered and eaten, CJ had to ask, even though she was sure she shouldn't. "You feeling alright?"

"Yeah," Josh replied as he put the dishes back in the cupboard.

"Okay."

Josh knew that tone it was the same one she used when she was convinced they were keeping her out of the loop at work, so he decided on a little honesty. "Just for a second, when the thunder cracked, it was.... you know. But I'm fine now, really." He tried to sound confident and reassuring, because he didn't want anyone knowing that he still had panic attacks.

"Good," CJ replied. Although she wasn't sure she believed him, she didn't want to push him so she changed the subject. "Have you spoken to Janet?"

"Why would I?" Josh asked, unsure why he'd tell Janet about the effect thunder had on him.

"Because Donna's back tomorrow."

"Right," Josh smiled. "Janet's going to stay on for a few weeks, at least until Donna's off the crutches."

"Wow, she's a gluten for punishment," CJ smiled.

"Hey!" Josh protested with a faint grin.

"Mind you she's not the only one," CJ continued. "Donna actually seems to be looking forward to coming back."

"I've tried to warn her that she'll regret it once she's there."

"It has to get better soon," CJ said without much conviction.

"You'd think," Josh agreed.

"I've been getting questions you know."

"About Leo and the president?"

"Yeah," CJ agreed. "They want to know why you've been taking meetings Leo normally takes. Why Leo isn't going on the trip next week. Why Leo wasn't with the president yesterday. You get the idea."

"They?"

"Patty, Steve, Chris; the other's won't be far behind."

"What did you tell them?"

"That Leo and the president haven't been speaking for weeks and I'm surprised it took them so long to notice."

"CJ," Josh sighed.

"I told them that you often staff for the president and Leo doesn't always go on trips. You know, someone on the staff must have said something for them to know that you've been taking his meetings."

"Could have been someone at the meetings," Josh pointed out. "I don't know what to say, CJ. I have no idea how to solve this one; I don't actually have any idea what started it."

"Gaza and the CODEL, Camp David," CJ suggested.

Josh shook his head. "This isn't just a disagreement over whether there should be a summit."

"No," CJ agreed. "Look don't worry about it," she told Josh, "I can fend them off."

"Yeah, but for how much longer."

"I've been doing this job for a while now," CJ said in a slightly irritated voice.

"I know. But how long will it be before this spills outside the west wing? How long before they have to be somewhere together, in full view of the press? Have you ever seen a picture of us all someplace, where Leo and the president weren't side by side?"

"No," CJ agreed.

"Well I think you're going to," Josh sighed. "You're not the only one getting questions. I was on The Hill on Friday, I got asked three times whether Leo was alright."

"He doesn't look it."

"I know," Josh agreed. "He won't talk about it. He told me the president will either come round or he won't, but there's nothing we can do about it."

"I suppose no matter how hard this is becoming for us, it's ten times worse for Leo."

Josh nodded his agreement. "I should go, I've got to go into work and catch up on the stuff I didn't get done in the week."

CJ knew that Josh was struggling to do all his work, while attending meetings that Leo would normally have taken. She had been worried that Leo looked tired and drawn over the last few weeks, now she was worried about Josh as well. "Tell him it's too much."

Josh shook his head. "It's not that bad. There's just a couple of reports I didn't get chance to read."

"You can't carry on at this rate, Josh. You're going to be ill."

"What can I do? It's up to them to sort it."

"Meanwhile we're caught in the crossfire," CJ added. "Come over for dinner. I'll call Toby and Donna, we'll order takeout and get drunk."

"Sounds good," Josh smiled.

continued.................................


	2. Part 2

**Title:** The Gathering Storm  
**Author:** Willow  
**Synopsis:** Tensiosn mount as the rift between Jed and Leo grows.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Spoilers:** Anything up to season 5, Memorial Day, but set in an a/u.  
**Notes:** Third in the Stone By Stone series. Starts 1 weeks after _In Need Of Assistance ._  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

**SUNDAY AFTERNOON **

By 3 o'clock, Josh had read a transport report and a report from a bipartisan committee on health screening in schools for sexually transmitted diseases, which he suspected was going cause a few problems. Now he was hungry. He'd seen Toby pacing the corridors earlier so he went in search of his friend and found him in the Roosevelt Room.

"Toby, you want to get some food?"

Toby looked up from the speech he wasn't writing to find Josh standing in front of him. "I didn't know you were here."

"Well I am. You hungry or not?"

"The mess isn't open."

"Then we'll raid it," Josh told him.

Toby was supposed to be writing a speech about alternate energy in the 21st century and it was going nowhere. This was partly because he didn't care about the subject, partly because he was tired, but mainly he just couldn't concentrate. So he stood up and followed Josh down to the mess.

"Speech going well?" Josh smiled.

"I don't care," Toby replied.

"You need a deputy," Josh told him.

"Don't start," Toby warned. "Will isn't coming back here."

"He hasn't said he wants to."

"You said he knew he made a mistake with Russell."

"Yes," Josh agreed as he opened the door to the kitchens. "I didn't say he wanted to come back to us. Apparently, someone told him to find a live candidate, someone who could challenge Russell. It was you I believe."

"I was locked in a room with him for 3 hours," Toby grumbled.

"He is still on our side."

"No he isn't," Toby replied. "Where do they keep the pie?"

"I have no idea," Josh told him and started to make a sandwich.

* * *

Jed walked into the living room of The Residence, where his wife was reading a magazine. "Are we out of peanut butter?" he asked.

"How would I know that?" Abbey replied. "You're the one who eats it. Have cheese instead."

"Cheese?" Jed asked.

"Yes."

"Really doesn't go well with jelly."

"I wouldn't think so, no," Abbey agreed.

"So we have no peanut butter?"

"Call a steward."

"I can't just call a steward and ask them to get me some peanut butter, it's petty."

"Yet you can bother me about it."

"You're my wife."

Abbey glared at Jed. "Your point being?"

"I'll just go down to the mess and get some," Jed quickly replied.

"You do that," Abbey smiled.

* * *

Five minutes later Toby was still hunting for pie while Josh stood and ate some chicken. "Have something else," Josh suggested.

"I need pie."

"To help you write?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Josh put the chicken back in the fridge, before helping Toby hunt for pie. "What kind do you want?"

"Pastry and meat," Toby grumbled.

"You know I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be doing this."

"Was your idea."

"Yeah, to make a sandwich, not riffle through every fridge and cupboard." Josh opened another fridge drawer and took out some kind of pie. "Here."

"Thanks."

"Happy now?" Josh asked.

"Ecstatic," Toby replied. "We need fries."

"We're not cooking. You can make do with the pie."

"Who put you in charge?"

"We're not cooking," Josh repeated. "You know what'll happen. We'll set the smoke alarms off and then Leo'll yell at me, again." He watched Toby cut the pie. "It's not Will's fault you know," he said. "We've all had our Bingo Bob's."

"Maybe," Toby conceded.

* * *

"Have cheese, she suggested," Jed told Clive, one of his agents, as they walked through the West Wing on their way to the mess. "Does that sound like it goes with jelly?"

"No, Sir," Clive agreed.

"Are some of the staff in?" Jed asked when he noticed the open office doors.

Clive spoke into his wrist mic before replying, "My Ziegler and Mr Lyman are here, Sir."

"No Leo?" Jed asked.

"Not as far as I know, Sir," Clive confirmed.

Jed walked on in silence. It wasn't like Leo not to be in work if the staff were, even on a Sunday. Maybe he should call him and check everything was alright, but maybe not. He hadn't had a conversation with Leo that wasn't directly connected to work for weeks, so phoning him at home on a Sunday was probably a bad idea.

"So, do you know if I'm actually allowed to do this?" Jed asked.

"You are the president," Clive pointed out.

"Yeah, but the chef can be fierce," Jed replied. He entered the kitchens and stopped at the sound of voices.

* * *

"You done?" Josh asked.

"Almost," Toby reached into a fridge and took out a tub of coleslaw. "Is Leo alright?"

Josh shrugged. "I guess."

"What does that mean?"

"How do you think he is?" Josh asked. "The president's virtually shut him out, he's bound to be a little pissed off."

"It'll get better."

"It's been weeks with no sign of a thaw," Josh replied.

"You and him sorted things," Toby pointed out.

"Me and the president?"

"You and Leo, after Carrick."

"That was different."

"How?" Toby asked as he put the coleslaw away. "He treated you the same as the president's treating him. He shut you out. So how was it different?"

"Leo hasn't done anything wrong. He didn't loose a senator."

Toby gave Josh a look that asked if he really thought last August was simply about Carrick. "The president hasn't brought anyone in to do Leo's job."

"He has me for that," Josh replied. "Why do you think I'm here on a Sunday."

"Yeah," Toby agreed. "How angry is Leo?"

"We haven't talked about it," Josh replied. "I would think he's a little hurt though. Him and the president have been friends a long time. It hurts when someone you thought of as a friend treats you like that."

"Yeah," Toby repeated. He remembered how Josh had looked last year when Leo completely shut him out. In a way, it amazed him that Josh was still so loyal to Leo and he suspected that there was more to their reconciliation than it simply blowing over, in fact he was sure something had happened, because one week they were virtually ignoring each other and the next everything was almost normal. "Why isn't he in today?"

"It's Sunday," Josh pointed out.

"Doesn't normally matter."

"He's gone with Mal to his nephew's 18th birthday. Can we get back now?"

"I'm coming."

* * *

"Didn't they have any?" Abbey asked Jed when he returned empty handed to The Residence.

"What?" Jed replied.

"Peanut butter?"

"I don't know."

"What's happened?"

"Nothing, I changed my mind, I'll have cheese." Jed went into the kitchen, poured himself a coffee and thought about the conversation he'd just overheard. So Josh and Toby thought he was being hard on Leo did they? What would they know about it? he wondered. What gave them the right to comment? And how dare Josh complain about having to work on a Sunday.

Abbey had followed Jed into the kitchen. "What's going on, Jed?" she asked

"Toby and Josh were in the mess discussing Leo. They think he's angry."

Abbey thought Leo was far beyond angry. Six weeks ago, at Camp David, he'd been angry, now he'd pulled away from them. "Maybe he is," she agreed.

"He's gone to a birthday party apparently."

Good, Abbey thought, at least he wasn't sat at home brooding. "You need to talk to him, Jed."

"We're fine."

"Oh for God's sake," Abbey snapped. "You hardly speak to each other. He hasn't been here for dinner in weeks. You can't let this go on. If you don't care about your friendship then at least think about work and the rest of the staff. How do you think they must feel, caught between you?"

"You were the one who refused to have anything to do with him for months after Zoey," Jed pointed out.

"That was different."

"Because it was you?"

"Because he isn't my best friend."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Toby and Josh were eating lunch in Josh's office. "We've all picked the wrong candidate at times," Josh argued.

"Not all of us."

"Really?" Josh asked doubtfully. "You've never started working for someone and then wondered what the hell you were doing?"

Toby sighed. "Yeah. So who was yours?"

"Hoynes, who else. When I think he could have become president," Josh shook his head.

"Makes you grateful for Leo."

"Yeah," Josh agreed. "So who was your Bingo Bob?"

"Paul Santos."

"Never heard of him."

"He was a mayoral candidate in New York about 20 years ago. He made Russell look competent."

"So why'd you work for him?"

"I was unemployed. Why'd you work for Hoynes?"

"Same. Earl Brennan had retired."

Jed watched them from the doorway, "I always thought he'd go for the nomination," he said.

"Mr President," Josh and Toby both stood up.

"Would you have stayed with him if he had?" Jed asked Josh.

"Probably," Josh replied.

"You'd have been his chief of staff," Jed said.

"Ironically though, one of the reasons he didn't run was because his wife thought the first black president would be shot," Josh replied.

"She has a point," Jed agreed. "Toby can you give us a minute."

Toby picked up his drink and the remains of his lunch and left Josh's office.

"You don't have a life away from here?" Jed asked.

"Not this weekend," Josh shrugged. "Thought I'd come in for a few hours and catch up."

Jed nodded. "How's Donna doing?"

"She's good. She's back at work tomorrow."

"You sure she's ready?" As he spoke, Jed suddenly thought how it didn't seem that long since he was asking Leo the same question about Josh.

"She says she is, and so does her doctor. Janet's going to stay on for a few weeks though, I don't want her doing too much."

Jed smiled at that. "I'd like to see how you're going to stop her."

"She knows who the boss is," Josh smiled.

"That's my point," Jed replied. "And Leo's gone to his nephew's birthday?"

"Yeah, in Boston," Josh replied and wondered what exactly the president wanted from him. "It's his 18th so there's a big party apparently."

"So while Leo's off partying, you're here doing his work?"

"I'm doing my work, Sir. I don't do Leo's."

Jed studied Josh. "You're very loyal to Leo."

"Sir?"

"It wasn't a criticism, Josh." Jed thought about what Abbey had said. If the staff really did feel caught between him and Leo, it must be even worse for Josh.

"Is everything alright, Sir?" Josh asked.

Jed ignored the question. "Is Leo alright?"

Josh was tempted to tell Jed to ask Leo himself, instead he said. "As far as I know."

"He isn't coming on the trip next week because someone has to stay here," Jed wondered briefly why he was justifying himself to Josh.

"I know," Josh nodded.

Jed sighed and sat down. "What happened with you and Leo last year?" he asked. "After Carrick."

"You know what happened, Sir. Leo needed to pacify the leadership so he brought in Angela."

"But you worked it out?"

"Angela went back to her old job once her contract was up."

"Yes. I meant you and Leo personally, he was very hard on you."

"He was angry, it got out of hand maybe. But it sorted itself," Josh said.

Jed nodded. "Don't stay too late or you'll be in trouble with Donna."

* * *

Abbey found Jed sat back in the kitchen smoking a cigarette. "You're not suppose to smoke in here," she told him.

"No," he agreed.

"Jed?"

"I need to talk to Leo," he decided.

"He's in Boston," Abbey said.

"How'd you know that?"

"He told me he was thinking of going with Mal. I told him to go. He needs a life away from here."

"Away from the White House or away from me?"

"Is there a difference?" Abbey asked.

Jed shrugged. "I was angry," he admitted. "I didn't intend to push him away. I was just so angry."

"About Fitz?"

"Why does violence always have to beget violence?" Jed asked. "Fitz was the one who talked me round after the plane was shot down in our first year in office. They were the ones who warned me about over-reacting, Fitz and Leo," he added. "I should have included him, but I'd made my decision and I didn't want him talking me out of it."

"Then you need to talk to him."

* * *

"You'll be okay if you go without me," Toby said when he couldn't stand Josh's silent pacing any longer.

"I'll wait."

"Well at least sit down."

Josh sat on Toby's couch. "Haven't you finished yet?"

"You asked me that ten minutes ago."

"Yeah. What you writing?"

"With you hovering, nothing. I'm supposed to writing an energy speech for the trip next week."

Josh nodded. "The president was strange," he commented.

"Why?" Toby asked.

"I don't know what he wanted. He asked about Donna and Leo."

"Okay."

"He asked how Leo and I sorted things out last year."

Toby put his pen in his pocket and closed the pad he was using, there was no way he was going to finish anything today. "What did you tell him?"

"It sorted itself out."

"What really happened?"

"We talked, and shouted. Mainly shouted," Josh smiled. "But it cleared the air and we sorted it."

"Maybe that's what they need to do."

"Not so easy when one of them is the president."

"No," Toby agreed. "Let's go to CJ's."

* * *

Once dinner was finished Josh, Toby, CJ and Donna sat around drinking and watching a movie on the television. They had thought about going out, but none of them had the motivation to move.

"So what are we all doing next Sunday?" Donna asked.

Josh shook his head. "What's next Sunday?"

"4th Of July," Donna told him.

"That came round quick," CJ commented.

"It's CJ's turn to hold a party," Josh said.

"Why?" CJ asked.

"Because it is," Josh replied. "Toby?" he asked.

"Yes," Toby agreed.

"Excellent," Donna smiled.

"Hey!" CJ protested. "You're ganging up on me." She turned to Donna, "And you should be on my side."

"I know," Donna agreed, "but you have a garden area, whereas Josh only has a stoop and Toby and I have nothing." She smiled and shrugged apologetically.

"So it's a barbecue at my place then?" CJ asked.

"Yes."

CJ knew when she was beat. "We should invite Leo," she said.

Josh nodded, "And Will."

"No," Toby replied.

"Yes," Donna and CJ agreed with Josh.

continued.................................


	3. Part 3

**Title: The Gathering Storm  
Author:** Willow  
**Summary:** Tensions in the White House mount as the rift between Jed and Leo grows.  
**Spoilers/Episode:** Set in an a/u that starts after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place a week after chapter 2.  
**Characters:** Ensemble  
**Rating:** PG

* * *

**Friday**

Josh and Jed had just finished their fifth meeting of the afternoon. "You understand any of that?" Jed asked as he sat back behind his desk.

"Not really," Josh replied. "How can they possibly know what the economy will be like in ten years time? They have no idea who'll be in government here or throughout the world. They don't know which countries will be at war, what other countries economies will be like by then. They can't possibly predict our balance of trade without knowing what our trading partners economies will be like, or even who they'll be, in ten years."

"Yes," Jed agreed. "See you did understand."

"I understood that it doesn't matter if they're wrong because none of us will be in these jobs by then," Josh smiled.

"That's just how Leo would put it. You're catching on," Jed said with a small smile. "Who's next?"

"I'm done, your next meeting's on Homeland Security. I may know very little about economics, but I know nothing about defense."

Jed watched Josh collect his papers. He enjoyed having Josh staff his meetings. Josh knew just when to speak and when to say nothing, he knew exactly how each meeting effected the last and the next, and he was adept at passing on that information to Jed without it seeming as if the president didn't know what was going on. After almost six years, Jed and Josh had a very good system worked out for the best way to handle meetings. However, Jed knew that Josh wasn't happy about taking on meetings that Leo would normally staff, he also suspected that if he threw much more work at him, Josh might just buckle under the weight. Therefore, as much as he would find it interesting to have Josh staff a defense meeting, he let him leave and waited for Leo.

Josh left the Oval Office and walked past the Roosevelt Room to Leo's office. "Hey," he said.

Leo looked up and took his glasses off. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Busy," Josh replied. "You?"

"Yeah," Leo agreed. "What's up?"

"This report from Coles & Ashland's committee about health checks in schools. We're not going to get involved in that, right?"

"You think it could be controversial?"

"Checks on 14 year olds for sexually transmitted diseases?" Josh asked with a smile. "I think it may be a little controversial, yes."

"Well to be fair, they want to offer free checks to any school kids who are concerned, which could reduce long term effects, not to mention curbing the spread of these diseases."

"Somehow I don't think that's how the AAF & Mary Marsh will see it."

"Which is why we'll be arranging meetings with them."

"I can hardly wait," Josh sighed. "What you doing on Sunday?" he asked.

"Meeting Mallory. You?"

"Barbecue at CJ's."

"Doesn't she get sick of hosting your party every year?"

"You might not want to remind her of that," Josh grinned.

........................................................................................

**Sunday 4th Of July **

Josh, Toby, Donna, Will and Charlie were all assembled at CJ's apartment for their 4th of July celebrations. They were planning on going to watch the fireworks later, but for now Toby and Josh had taken charge of the barbecue, with Charlie supervising. Will and Donna were making salad and CJ was sorting the drinks.

"What's Leo doing?" Toby asked.

"Meeting Mallory," Josh told him.

Toby nodded. Although he tried to make out that caring about his colleagues wasn't in his nature, he was worried about Leo. "Is he alright?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because he doesn't look it."

"I know," Josh agreed. "I think all this crap with the president is getting him down."

"The president isn't exactly happy about it," Charlie told them.

"Then he should do something about it," Josh replied.

"I don't think it's that easy," Charlie said.

"Why?" Josh asked. "I hate to sound like a school kid, but he started it."

"In fairness we don't know who or what started it," Charlie replied.

Josh glared at Charlie, "So you think this is Leo's fault?"

"I don't know who's fault it is, but I'm sure there's more to it than we're seeing," Charlie told him. "Do you really think the president would shut Leo out without good reason?"

"That's how it looks," Josh replied. "When I left for Germany everything was fine, when I came back it certainly wasn't."

"So you just assume that's the president's fault, that he shut Leo out for no reason?" Charlie asked. "In case you'd forgotten, Leo's quite capable of doing that."

Josh didn't need to ask what he was referring to. "That was completely different," he replied.

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"Okay, stop it," Toby interrupted them. "We're not at work, this is suppose to be a party."

"Yeah," Josh replied. He picked up his drink and went inside to find Donna.

"Sorry," Charlie told Toby. "I'm just sick of everyone assuming this is the president's fault, especially Josh."

"Josh is in a difficult position," CJ told him. "He's the one taking over Leo's work and he feels guilty about that. I know you're loyal to the president but so's Josh."

"He's just more loyal to Leo," Charlie said. "That wasn't a criticism," he quickly added. "I understand why he is."

"I don't know whether he's more loyal to Leo, I think it's a different type of loyalty," CJ said. "He's known him since he was a child; he's actually know him longer than the president has."

Charlie nodded. "I'll talk to him," he said and walked into the kitchen to find Josh because, even though he wasn't going to change his opinion, he didn't want bad feeling between them.

"You think I should go and referee?" CJ asked Toby.

"Donna's in there," Toby replied.

Charlie found Josh sat on a stool in the kitchen drinking a beer while watching Will make coleslaw. "Hey," Charlie said.

"Hey," Josh replied. "You want one?" he offered Charlie a beer.

"Thanks."

"Will can cook," Josh smiled. "Or at least he can make coleslaw."

"I can cook," Will protested. "I'm actually a good cook."

"Then shouldn't you be outside helping with the barbecue?" Charlie asked.

Will looked at Charlie and shook his head. "Me, Toby and hot, sharp implements? Are you insane?" he smiled.

"Good point," Charlie agreed.

Will had wondered why Josh had come in from the garden to sit watching him cut up cabbage. Now he could sense these two needed to talk. "I'll take this out to them," he said and left the kitchen.

"Where's Donna?" Charlie asked.

"Bathroom," Josh replied.

"Sorry," Charlie offered. "About before."

Josh shrugged. "You might be right, there may be more to it. But Leo seems to be the one who's suffering."

"In much the same way you did last year," Charlie couldn't help but point out.

"That was different," Josh replied.

"Why?"

"I don't know," Josh admitted.

"Would you have sided with Leo if this had happened last year?" Charlie asked.

"I'm not siding with Leo," Josh argued. "And yes, probably."

"I don't understand," Charlie said. "Last year you were so angry with him."

"Yeah," Josh agreed.

"Then...?"

"I don't know," Josh repeated. "He's Leo. I don't know, I can't explain it." And that was true, Josh really couldn't explain the loyalty he felt to Leo, at least not out loud. Mallory had once told him that Leo thought of him as a son, which was fine by her because she'd always wanted a big brother. Josh knew that that did have a lot to do with it, he did see Leo as a father figure. But Charlie was wrong, he hadn't been angry last year, he'd been hurt, which may have manifested itself as anger on the surface but it wasn't how he'd felt inside.

"You think they'll sort it?" Charlie asked.

"I hope so. I don't think any of us can go on like this for another two years."

"You two look very serious," Donna said when she joined them.

"We're too hungry to do anything else," Josh smiled. "You want some food?" he asked Donna.

"Yes," Donna replied, "but I don't want my burger cremated," she smiled.

"Your wish is my command," Josh grinned and went outside to get food for himself and Donna.

Once Josh had left, Donna turned to Charlie, "What's going on?"

"I don't understand why he's so blinkered where Leo and the president are concerned," Charlie admitted.

"He's always defended Leo," Donna told him. "You remember Lillienfield and his drugs campaign. Gibson during the hearings. O'Neal earlier this year."

"Doesn't seem to be a two way street," Charlie commented.

"It is, normally," Donna told him. "I thought you liked Leo?"

"I do," charlie protested.

"You're just fed up with everyone blaming the president for what's going on?"

"Yeah."

"Josh understands that," Donna told him. "Let's get some food."

They joined the others in the garden where Josh handed Donna a plate of food. "Thank you, is this to stop me steeling yours?" she asked.

"It's to make sure you eat something," Josh replied.

"I eat."

"You skipped lunch on Friday."

"I ate at my desk," Donna protested. "I'm not off my food. Stop fussing and go and talk to Charlie."

Josh dutifully did as he was told and went to find Charlie, who was back in the kitchen.

"They okay?" CJ asked when Donna sat next to her.

"They're both loyal to their bosses, trouble is their bosses aren't speaking to each other."

"You must be so glad to be back at work," CJ smiled.

Josh found Charlie rooting through CJ's cupboards. "What you lost?" he asked.

"Relish."

"Outside?" Josh suggested.

"Empty, CJ said there was more in here. Ah ha," Charlie smiled as he found the burger relish. "We okay?" he asked Josh.

"'Course we are," Josh replied."We'll just have to agree to differ on this one."

"Or we could devise a cunning plan to get them talking," Charlie suggested with a grin.

"Like getting them trapped in an elevator together?" Josh smiled.

"Or a lockdown with them both in the same office for a a few hours," Charlie said as they walked back into the garden.

"Well it worked for Toby and Will," Josh agreed. "Sort of."

"They're ignoring each other," Charlie said.

"Which is an improvement on yelling at each other," Josh pointed out.

"So a lockdown it is then?" Charlie smiled.

"You think we could get fired for that?" Josh asked.

"I think we could get 10 years in prison for it," Charlie told him.

.................................................................................

By midnight, they were all at Josh's apartment, where they'd gone to after the fireworks. Will was watching the street below, from a chair by the window. CJ and Toby were sat on the couch, she had her feet up and was leaning against him. Charlie was sat in the recliner and Josh and Donna had swapped their usual roles; she was sat in a chair while he was sat on the floor leaning against her leg, her broken leg was up on the coffee table.

"Fireworks were good," Will commented.

"Noisy, hot and crowded," Toby grumbled.

"Grouch," CJ teased.

"How come I have to sit on the floor," Josh asked. "I mean, this is my apartment."

"You're the perfect host," CJ told him and Donna laughed.

"That isn't funny, I'm a good host," Josh protested. "I have to be seeing as everyone usually ends up here anyway."

"Why is that?" Will asked.

"Josh has a large refrigerator," Charlie told him, "it holds a lot of beer. Speaking of which," he smiled.

"Help yourself," Josh told him. "And get me one."

"You have work tomorrow," Donna said.

"Very true," Josh agreed. "I'm also nearly 44 years old and if I want another beer..... "

"Okay," Donna agreed indulgently.

"Could we have watched the fireworks from here?" Will asked, still staring out of the window.

"Yeah, from the roof," Josh replied.

"Then why didn't we?" Toby asked.

"Everyone wanted to follow the crowds," Josh replied.

"I don't like crowds," Toby complained.

"Is there anything you do like?" Will asked and then looked at the others. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Unfortunately," Donna agreed.

"I didn't mean.... " Will began.

"I like loyalty," Toby told him.

"Here we go," Josh laughed and Donna flicked his ear. "Oww," he complained.

"I'm loyal," Will said.

"To yourself," Toby replied.

"To the Democrat Party, to the people I work for and with," Will said.

"To the people you work for?" Toby asked incredulously. "If that's what you call loyalty...."

"Stop it," Josh told him. "There's been enough arguing for today with me and Charlie."

"What have I done?" Charlie asked as hereturned from the kitchen.

"Argued with me," Josh told him.

"Ah yes, but now we know what to do about them."

"You do?" Donna asked.

"They have a cunning plan," CJ told her, "They're going get Leo and the president trapped in a room together for a few hours, that way they'll have to talk."

"What about the Secret Service?" Donna asked.

"You think they'll help?" Josh asked.

"No. I meant how will you get past them?"

"That's a good question," Charlie agreed.

"It's Sunday night," Josh said. "Let's not worry about small details for now," he smiled.

"I think the Secret Service are more than a small detail," CJ said.

"Sam called me earlier," Josh told them. "He's coming out next month." He saw the disbelieving looks on his friends' faces. "No really, this time he is. He has an interview in New York on the 13th, he's coming here after that."

"So he's really serious about moving back east?" CJ asked.

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "Chloe's job starts in September so she's definitely moving."

"Then we'll have a proper night out," Donna said. "He'll miss your birthday though," she told Josh.

"Yes," Josh agreed. "But we're not doing anything special anyway, are we?"

"No," Donna agreed. "Of course not."

  
END OF CHAPTER 3


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